THE Coventry Telegraph report and video of a couple dumping a cat outside the Coventry RSPCA centre at Coundon Wedge late on Boxing Day brought a torrent of reaction from readers.

CCTV footage showed a car pulling onto the driveway of the animal shelter at Allesley at 11.15pm and a man emerging from the car to leave the cat in a broken pet carrier at the bottom of the drive.

Most contributorsm were shocked and outraged at what they labelled a ‘cruel’ and ‘callous’ act - but some felt judgment should be reserved until the full facts were known.

The cat, believed to be about two years old, was not discovered by staff until nine hours later. The words ‘my name is Smokey’ were scrawled on his box.

RSPCA officials say Smokey is another victim of the annual post-Christmas throw out and fear he was an unwanted Christmas present, or had been replaced with another pet over the festivities.

A number of people have already come forward to offer him a new home, but the centre urgently needs adopters to rehome its many other animals. Anyone interested should ring 024 7633 6616.

Here's what our readers have had to say...

* HOW could these people be so cruel, would it have hurt them to hand this cat into a rescue centre? They are such cowards and totally heartless and I hope they get caught. I would love to adopt another rescue animal but with 4 cats and 1 dog (all rescued) I just can’t afford it. NOBODY should take on an animal unless 1) it’s actually wanted and 2) they can afford the animal for the long term, i.e. at least 14 years!!!!! Elaine1967

* ALTHOUGH I in no way condone such an act, leaving the cat in such a place is in no way as callous as some of the things we read and witness in the press. Perhaps publicising this event like this may mean a poor animal is left in a less ‘considered’ place. Either way, it a sorry state of affairs. Richard_Cov

* VERY true Richard, yes he was left, but he was left in a place where they know he would be found and re-homed, they could have handed him in, yes, but they were probably ashamed or embarrassed. Other people just kick them out or leave them at the roadside, or, as in one case when the cat has nothing to do with them, chuck it in a bin!! He looks like he had been well looked after. Don’t know the circumstances, why they wanted to give him up, but not as bad as some people are making out. thewoodman

* AGREE with Richard_Cov. Maybe these people could not afford to take care of it and were too ashamed to admit it. I don’t condone their actions, but it was better than dumping it out in the wild or even worse killing it. AlanOrgan

* I CANNOT believe the callous nature of people today with animals. I have rescued so many cats over the years because of people dumping kittens and cats, because they don’t no longer fit their lifestyles. A cat is for life. I urge the people responsible to come forward because at some point they will be caught out, just like the lady who put a cat in a bin, she was caught and prosecuted! theminx

* I TOTALLY agree with Elaine, but I’m shocked that anybody can say ‘well at least they didn’t kill it.’ People do all sorts of bad things to people and animals, and because most don’t kill them, that’s a good thing? It’s sick to leave an animal out in the cold all night, yes, it’s still alive, but that’s no compliment to the twisted couple who left it outside, more luck as the carrier was broken. I hope they get caught, and if they did replace the cat, I hope their replacement gets taken off them, before they do the same thing to that animal next year! SimonCCFC

* I’M sure the cat wasn’t dumped because they couldn’t afford to keep it since they can obviously afford to run a car. They could have handed it in to the RSPCA instead of just dumping it :( poor thing alj246

* HOPE he goes to a new set of owners where he will be well looked after. I have rescue cats myself and they are so rewarding smartiepants43

* IT’S all speculation really, maybe they found the cat and dropped it off. At least the cat is safe and well, and maybe a little good intention is there. That car looks like a Citroën Xsara Picasso Justice4all

* I AGREE this was a callous act but we do not know the circumstances, for all we know these people could be down on their luck and genuinely no longer able to feed the cat. Yes, it was not good dumping in the middle of the night, but a lot of cats, including my own, insist on being out at night; it was not a cold night. Just trying to put everything in perspective. It could be that they had tried to find a place for it at a rescue centre and nowhere has a place and out of sheer desperation they felt they had no other option open to them. Do not get me wrong, I am a cat lover, I have 2 of my own. But I also work with people who are living well below the poverty line, so am just trying to put some maybes forward, It is all to easy to judge before we know the full story braveheart

* CET cat stories 2012. Worse things are happening in the area. Sad for the cat, but let’s think about the elderly or infirm linfordo